Engage
by The cursed child
Summary: We were given a direct order not to engage! I recall that you were the first one to throw a punch. It was a reflex! What if the word engage had another meaning. What if Gibbs had ordered them not to get married.


**A/N Tony: "We were given a direct order not to engage!**_** I**_** recall that you were the first one to throw a punch.  
><strong>**Ziva:**** It was a reflex!"**

**The first sentence that I heard. All that I knew was that they were standing in an elevator. I thought that they were talking about their engagement and I was like….Wow, just wow. What the hell happened? **

**Let's see how my imagination went wild.**

They were standing in the elevator, a habit they'd gotten from their boss. They were both extremely frustrated. Frustrated with themselves, their boss and there overall predicament.

Ziva David, assassin, murderer, the Mossad liaison at NCIS. Thinks quick on her feet and is a natural with all items that qualify as a weapon. Which means pretty much everything to her. She is in good shape and loves running in the early morning. She always takes a different route, because Mossad made sure that she would never, ever, establish a routine. She had a father that started to put his work above his children when her little sister, Tali, was murdered. Her brother turned out to be a terrorist and she had had to pull the trigger herself.

Tony DiNozzo, senior agent, womanizer, the very, very special agent DiNozzo. He is the wild cart. He does every single thing that the rest of the team can't. He uses his jokes and his movies to keep the atmosphere light and keep everyone laughing during the darker times in their lives. He watched his movies on the couch with a slice of pizza, preferably with his partner next to him with her mostly idiotic comments. He sometimes gets the vibe that she does it solely to amuse him. His father was rich and Tony never used the money, preferring to make his own money and earn his independence.

It had been a rough few weeks, and this had been their breaking point. It had been another case that had everyone on high alert. The tension had been unbearable. When they had finally received good news, Tony had asked Ziva to marry her…..in the middle of the bullpen

"_Marry me, Ziva."_

_Ziva had already said yes when they heard Gibbs behind them._

"_I talked to you about this." Gibbs said. He was not even angry. He merely said it with a tone that told them not too argue. He truly felt that Rule #12 was valid and that it shouldn't happen. He had turned a blind eye on their relationship when he thought that it was just a casual thing that would be over soon enough. When it turned out to be long-term he had taken each of them aside and forbade them to get any closer. He directly forbade them to engage._

_They had broken up for a period of one week. They noticed that they couldn't concentrate and Tony had turned up at her apartment with a pizza and a movie and they had been together again from that moment onwards. It amazed them that Gibbs didn't find out about it._

_But this, this was the final blow._

"_And once again, I'm defying you." _

_She threw a punch at his face. He was surprised enough to forget blocking it and he was hit. He stood there, surprise showing on his face, before he sent her a glare and walked downstairs. He was planning on visiting Ducky._

_Ziva and Tony walked into the elevator, leaving a confused co-worker behind, poor Tim._

"We were given a direct order not to engage! I recall that you were the first one to throw a punch."

It had been an order. She should've known that Gibbs was against this. He wouldn't want to see two of his team members get together and marry. He would never be able to see a happy ending until it actually happened.

"It was a reflex!"

Of course it had been. She lashed out to everyone when she was angry and had a reason to. Ziva's first instinct was to punch, not to scream. Her reflex was a punch to the face and a kick to the stomach, if she had gone through with the assault. She'd probably stopped as soon as she noticed that it was her boss she'd hit.

They both took a deep breath and Tony eased the tension immediately.

"That was the first fight ever that I had with my fiancée."

Ziva laughed and laid her hand on his cheek, like she'd done many times before. She smiled again before kissing the other cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. It was a gesture that told Tony what had never been said in words.

The three little words that she'd never said, just like he hadn't said them to her.

Jeanne had been the last woman he'd said the words to, and he kept thinking how that worked out.

Ziva knew why, and that was enough. He finished the gesture by drawing her close to his chest and laying his head on top of her head.

He said the words just like her. It was simply: I love you and I love you too. Without having to say the words. You don't need words when the one who loves you knows it, even though you have to remind him or her once in a while.

"You should say sorry to Gibbs, though."

"For agreeing to marry you? I think not."

"For punching him, Sweet Cheeks."

"And get scolded for breaking another rule, no thank you. Especially rule # 6"

"Another rule states that 'It is better to seek forgiveness than ask permission.' He will accept your apology."

"And.." Ziva started.

"He will apologize in return, Ducky will talk some sense into him. He knows that we're not him."

"How do you do that?"

"What?"

"I always agree with you in the end."

"It's only because I'm right this time. You disagree with me when I'm wrong, just like you're supposed to."

Tony flipped the switch and the elevator started moving again. Ziva was hugged from behind and allowed herself to rest her head on his chest for a split second before she stood up straight and next to her fiancée. Only a second later the ding of the elevator sounded and they walked back into the bullpen.

**A/N I've always thought that their relationship wouldn't use words but small gestures and subtle, lingering touches. They only need to exchange words when there is something really important going on. Hope you enjoyed it.**


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